RETAIL STRATEGY

Carrefour continues Kenyan expansion with opening of 28th outlet

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025

Kenya’s retail sector has witnessed sustained growth, with both local and international retailers expanding their presence.

Carrefour, the French-based supermarket giant, is continuing with its expansion strategy in Kenya and recently opened its 28th store in the East African country. The new store is at Maasai Mall in Rongai, located about 17 km south of Nairobi’s CBD.

Celebrations as Carrefour opens its latest Kenyan outlet. Photo: Carrefour

Carrefour, through its local partner Majid Al Futtaim, now operates 23 stores in Nairobi and its environs, three in Mombasa, and one in Kisumu. The latter is the third largest city in Kenya and is in the Western Highlands.

“This latest expansion is part of Carrefour’s strategy to enhance accessibility and provide customers with a seamless shopping experience, both in-store and online,” reports the Foodpreneurs Hub website, which covers the African food industry.

It adds that Kenya’s retail sector has witnessed sustained growth, with both local and international retailers expanding their presence.

Kenya’s rapidly urbanising regions

“These expansions aim to meet the needs of Kenya’s rapidly urbanising regions, particularly in high-growth residential and commercial hubs,” Foodpreneurs Hub states.

Alexandre Cerqueira, District Manager Supermarkets at Carrefour Kenya, noted in a recent social media post: “This milestone marks an exciting step as we expand in Rongai, ready to serve a vibrant new customer community. We’re excited to be part of Rongai’s dynamic spirit, bringing quality and convenience closer to home.

He adds: “Our commitment goes beyond the store walls, we’re also here to meet our customers’ needs online, making shopping more convenient than ever.

“A huge congratulations to the entire team for their dedication and hard work. Everyone moved in the same direction with one clear goal: opening the store as quickly as possible while ensuring we deliver the best for our customers.”

Carrefour’s Kenyan expansion is said to have created over 700 jobs in 2024. It claims to source 99% of products locally, benefiting over 690 Kenyan farmers and SMEs.

Beige off-road pickup truck parked on a dirt trail with rocky hills and pine trees in the background

Watchdog instructs auto brand to remove or amend TV ad campaign

SA’s Advertising Regulatory Board finds Kia advertisement could be offensive to people with certain health disorders.

Person wearing blue over-ear headphones at a desk with multiple monitors showing digital graphics, focused on work.

The gap between AI’s efficiency promises and marketing reality

Global study finds AI is helping marketers produce more – but is not creating the time and creative space they expected.

Aerial view of a coastal city with tall skyscrapers, dense low-rise blocks, and a distant shoreline on the horizon.

Number of African megacities to increase from three to 17 by 2050

Urban Africa will double its footprint, adding the equivalent of more than 4,000 Manhattans or almost 400 Singapores, The Economist reports.

Portrait of a smiling older man with gray hair and rectangular glasses wearing a white shirt, facing the camera.

Nigeria’s Hyper City appoints CEO with strong Carrefour background

Luc Demez brings experience from Europe and African countries as the Carrefour brand looks to expand into Nigeria with a local partner.

Smiling woman in a lime green tank top pushes a shopping cart down a grocery store aisle.

Cracking the Africa Code: The functional path to market leadership

What makes brands successful in Africa? A summary of the award-winning paper presented at Esomar’s first conference in Africa.

Cartoon smartphone wearing a chef’s hat, displaying a recipe card with a plate of food and the word RECIPES on an orange background.

‘What’s for dinner tonight, mom?’ Woolies’ AI chef may have the answer

Woolworths supermarket chain embraces an AI-powered chef as it leverages two decades of recipes to answer an age-old family question.

White athletic sneakers resting on a basketball on a dirt path with autumn leaves in the background.

Demand for sportswear is sprinting ahead of the wider apparel market

Consumers are prioritising their wellness despite tighter wallets, meaning sportswear remains one of the most resilient areas of fashion.

A scene from the 2025 AMC Awards in Ghana

Deadline looms for African marketing and supply chain awards

Nominations for the 2026 African Marketing Confederation and African Supply Chain Confederation awards close on 31 July.

Researchers study why negative brand news fails to deter some customers

Consumers may stick with troubled brands because their emotional attachment overrides the perceived risk, study finds.

Dignitaries and photographers at a 'Citizen Experience' event on a blue stage backdrop with a poster on an easel nearby.

Marketing’s role in book on how Ghana can deliver public service excelLENCE

Book draws a line between customer experience – the private-sector marketing discipline – and what its authors call ‘Citizen Experience’.

Entrance to Edgars department store in a mall, with clothing racks visible inside and shoppers browsing.

Once close to oblivion, SA retailer Edgars is making a comeback

Six years ago, the historic South African department store chain was in voluntary business rescue. Now it plans to open 50 new stores.

Rozanne